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Heathfield
' ' Heathfield Engineering Limited '''1965-1999 '''Heathfield was a UK brand of Dumptruck that was founded in the mid 1960s and the main models were built at Newton Abbot in Devon, England . They were taken over by Bell of South Africa in 1998 after having several other owners and eventually closed down. This manufacturer was very resourceful using several parts from many mechanical components sourced from outside companies. With a wide choice production output was very good in the 1970s and 1980s. One of the many successful British dumptrucks manufactures of its time. History The company was founded by the engineering firm of "Centrax Power Units Ltd" a heavyduty axle specialist for all kinds of machines that used wheels. Centrax built Axles and Gearboxes under licence from Rockwell and supplied them to companies such as Allis-Chalmers, Aveling-Barford, and JCB in the UK. Later on the company was renamed as '''Heathfield Engineering Ltd '''and this was their new name their models were marketed. In 1978 a 6x4 rigid was built as the H2200 with a 20 ton payload and powered by a Cummins VT555 220 hp engine and a 5-speed Allison transmission, but sales were slow and it was dropped. But was replaced by other faster selling updated models that took its place. In 1983 the Heathfield Engineering company was bought by the management from parent co "Centrax". New larger versions the H44 and H50 were designed. From the 1980s onwards all models used independent suspension allround and wide oneman halfcabs. In 1991 they were taken over by Unipower who had also acquired Haulamatic. Assembly moved to Tipton in the West Midlands. Alvis then bought Unipower for the military vehicle lines and sold Heathfield Haulamatic Ltd off to LH Group Plant Ltd of Burton on Trent.http://www.contractjournal.com/Articles/1995/03/30/25380/bell-joins-forces-with-lh-group.html LH Group plant were UK agents for Bell of South Africa. LH dropped the smaller models and concentrated on the H33 and H44. Bell then bought out LH Group' Dumper truck operations in 1998 and dropped the rigid dump truck models. Factories * Newton Abbot, Devon - original factory * Ansley Common, Nunneaton Warwickshire - Service depot * Elton, Stockton on Tees, Cleveland - Remanufacturing dept * Tipton, West Midlands - Unipower-Haulamatic-Heathfield Ltd assembly shop. Model range Heathfield DF 20 - 1966 a 7 cu yd 10ton capacity dump truck powered by a Perkins A6.354 and a 5 speed David Brown gear box to a planetary axle. Heathfield DF25/25E - 1968 with longer chassis and a earth moving body on the (E) variant. Heathfield H11 an updated version rated at 11 tons. Heathfield H19 - 1972 Fitted with Leyland engine and Eaton Fuller manual gearbox Heathfield H20 - 1976 Off highway Fitted with Cummins 855 or Rolls Royce with Eaton Fuller manual gearbox Heathfield H22 - 1990 -1997 Cummins L10 engine with ZF gearbox. A development of the H20 Heathfield H25 - 1970-72 Off highway truck Cummins NT280 engine. Heathfield H28 - 1972-76 Fitted with a Cummins NT310 or Detroit Diesel 8V71 and a choice of Allison or Fuller Roadranger gear box. Heathfield H30 - 1976 This model was an updated and redeveloped H28 with stiffer suspension and new coil suspension inspired by an Aveling Barford RD55 of the same decade. Heathfield H33 - 1982 with a 14 litre Cummins NTA 855-C-360 and a Five speed Allison CLBT750 Automatic or a Cat 3406 375 hp engine. A total of 68 were built Heathfield H44 - 1995 1997 An Indian sourced Komatsu designed machine assembled in the UK. Heathfield H55 - 1995 Never put into production but it was an original 4WD Heathfield prototype model. File:A 1979 Heathfield H20 TD Dumptruck.jpg|1979 Heathfield H20 TD File:A 1977 Heathfield H19 TD Dumptruck.jpg|1977 Heathfield H19 TD File:A_1987_Heathfield_H44_V8_Diesel_Dumptruck.jpg|1987 Heathfield H44 V8 Diesel File:A_1985_Heathfield_H33_TD_Dumptruck.jpg|1985 Heathfield H33 TD File:A_1983_Heathfield_DE50_Diesel_Dumptruck.jpg|1983 Heathfield DE50 Diesel Machines still in use In England there are parts of it where the Mining Industry is still active, specially around the Lancashire, Northumberland and the Yorkshire areas. Within these zones are a lot of quarries and mines that are still resourceful where one is very likely to find a Heathfield usually joined by a Aveling Barford, a DJB, a JCB, a Haulamatic and a Foden which is probably with Leyland are the best known of all. The Tipton factory owned by Unipower has one orange H33 and one yellow H44 normally used to carry, load and stock around several old and new spareparts in the factory yard. British Steel and Thamesteel are owners of several more H44 and H33 models. UK preserved machines If you know of any machines in preservation, or on display please add detail below. * Thamesteel at Sheerness, Kent still use 2 H33 'Steel Mill Special' trucks 24 hrs a day 7 days a week. * British Steel own within their foundry works all over the UK a reported 30 Heathfield of several models. See also * List of Construction Plant Manufacturers * Vintage Excavator Trust have several dump trucks by other manufacturers at Threlkeld in Cumbria for use with the excavators in the collection. One Heathfield H33 recently arrived here from a closed down mine near the Scottish border in a rusty condition and acquired for restoration by the VET and is going to be used as a display model. * Glossary Index References / sources * Classic Plant & Machinery Magazine, Vol 1 No. 8, April 2003, page 32, Article by Nick Baldwin External links * Heathfield Trucks.Com - Marton Dump trucks a repairer and refurbishment of all makes and parts supply. *Marton Dump Trucks Category:Construction plant manufacturers Category:Companies of the United Kingdom Category:Dump truck manufacturers Category:Heathfield Category:Haulamatic Category:LH Group Category:Unipower Category:Bell